Container structures



Sept. 4, 1956 M. ARKIN CONTAINER STRUCTURES Filed Feb., 15. 1954 1N VEN TOR.

rraaav/Ef/ United States Patent O CONTAINER STRUCTURES Michael Arkin, Flushing, N. Y. Application February 15, 1954, Serial No. 410,071 1 Claim. (Cl. 229-23) This invention broadly relates to container structures and especially to containers which can be collapsed and flattened for shipping and storing.

Collapsible containers, such .as shipping cartons, are very well known in the art. `In most instances such cartons have a longitudinal center field, two longitudinal parallel scores and three transverse scores along which latter scores the center field is bent and its free edges are united. Extending from the longitudinal score lines of the center field are two sets of foldable flaps adapted to be bent towards one another, one set of aps forming the bottom and the opposite set the top of the carton, whereupon the flaps are held in folded position by sealing tape. 1

Although such or similar structures are readily collapsible and are rendered flat for shipment or storing, they usually occupy in their collapsed state a vrather large area, since the width of the carton blank includes the width of the center field and the width of the flaps extending beyond both longitudinal scores of the latter. Moreover, the change from their collapsed state to their box-like form requires numerous operations, and not until their bottoms are sealed can merchandise be placed into them since the bottom has a tendency of opening.

There are known othercollapsible cartons possessing a prefabricated bottom member which forms an integral part of the stamped-out carton blank. Such structure not only occupies a considerable area when folded, but also is relatively costly in production since it requires substantially more material than does the first-described collapsible cartons.

The present invention contemplates a rather unique container structure which is not only considerably lessl expensive than heretofore known collapsible containers, especially as to the amount of material used, since there is practically no waste of such material, due, for instance, to overlapping of certain carton sections, but there is employed a sheet-like solid, one-piece bottom which is united with the container body when the latter is formed, and which bottom is collapsible in two opposite directions, that is either into the container body or exteriorly thereto, said simple, one-piece bottom taking the place of four overlapping bottom flaps of .a commonly used shipping carton.

The prime object of this invention therefore is the provision of a relatively inexpensive but very useful container structure comprising a container body with top closing flaps and a one-piece, two-way collapsible bottom.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a collapsible container structure hav-ing foldable top closing ilaps and a one-piece collapsible bottom secured to the lower edges of the container body, and wherein two opposite body elements, such as the ends of an elongated carton, are rendered collapsible as the bottom is being collapsed.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a collapsible container structure as stated above, and wherein said collapsible bottom is dished and provided with 2,761,609 Patented Sept. 4, 1956 ICC peripheral flanges by means of which it is secured to the lower edge of the container body.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a collapsible container structure as stated above, which is `inexpensive as to the material used and in its manufacture since the material requirement is considerably less than that employed in heretofore collapsible containers.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of what may be termed a two-directionally collapsible container structure, characterized by its two-way collapsible bottom, the latter being collapsible either inwardly or outwardly in respect to the body of the container, and wherein the making-ready of the container for the reception of merchandise requires a very simple operation, that is the straightening of the collapsed bottom either outwardly, when the bottom is collapsed inwardly, or inwardly, when the bottom is collapsed outwardly.

The foregoing and numerous other important objects and additional advantages of the present invention will be more fully elucidated from the ensuing description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which latter, although illustrating a single form of the present disclosure, are by no means intended to limit this invention to the actual showing, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank of the body or upper member of the future container as it leaves the machine producing it;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of that upper member or body formed to a substantially parallelepipedon shape;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a blank from which the future solid, one-piece bottom of the container is made;

Fig. 4 illustrates that bottom with its iianges turned upward and ready for insertion into the container body;

Fig, 5 shows a container in its nished form, that is the combination of the structure shown in Fig. 2 with the bottom shown in Fig. 4 inserted and secured in place;

Fig. 6 illustrates an inwardly collapsed container with the bottom extending into the body; and

Fig. 7 illustrates an outwardly collapsed container with the bottom extending in outward direction in respect to the body.

As has been stated above, the present container structure requires a minimum'amount of material, as a matter of fact far less than is necessary for the production of any heretofore known collapsible containers. In Fig. 1 the body or upper member of the container illustrates the simplicity of that container portion. There are shown two ends 10 and 11 and two sides 12 and 13. Extending from the ends and sides are foldable flaps 10', 11 and 12', 13. The end aps are separated from the side aps by cut-out slots 14, 15 and 16. The outer or free edge 17 of end 10 and the outer or free edge 18 of side 13 are intended to be connected in the usual way by an adhesive tape or other means indicated at 19.

Aligned with slots 14, 15 and 16 are vertical score lines 14', 15 and 16' and there is also provided a horizontal score line 20 extending along the entire length of the blank and serving as future folding line for the iiaps. Along the vertical center line of ends 10 and 11 and aps 10l and 11 will be seen score lines 21 and 22 which are intended to facilitate the collapse of the two ends in inward direction, as will be presently explained.

In order to demonstrate the saving of materialin connection with the present structure, it is to be mentally noted that in the usual carton construction there are provided additional flaps at the lower edge of ends 10 and 11 and sides 12 and 13 of the container, which correspond to flaps 10', 11', 12' and 13'. When the blank is then formed into a carton, these additional lower flaps are caused to overlap to form the carton bottom. Such overlap definitely means waste of material.

Blank 23 of the future collapsible bottom is shown'in plan view in Fig. 3. That blank is provided with peripheral score lines 24 and 2S at its ends and 26 and 27 at its side and there is also seen a central score 28 and two pairs of symmetrically arranged diagonal scores 29 and 30. These diagonal scores converge and` have their apices at the longitudinal center score 28. The corners of blank Z3 are cut out, whereby end anges 31 and 32 and side anges 33 and 34 are formed.

In observing Fig. 4, end flanges 31 and 32 and sidev flanges 33 and 34 are now bent upwards along their respective scores and assume positions at right angles to the horizontal plane of the bottom blank. The bottom is now ready to be placed into the body or upper member seen in Fig. 2, whereupon the anges of the bottom are stapled, glued or otherwise fastened to the lower edges of the ends and sides of the body or upper member, as clearly seen in Fig. 5. For simplicity sake there is indicated the use of staples 35 for attaching the flanges of the bottom to the carton body. In the form illustrated in Fig. 5 the present container is ready for the reception of goods, whereupon the flaps extending from the top edges of the ends and sides are folded toward one another for closing the container.

Operation When it is desired to collapse the container for shipping or storing, that operation can be effected in either one of two possible ways, for instance in the manner shown in Fig. 6, in which case pressure against the central score 28 of the bottom is exerted exteriorly in respect to the container body, in consequence of which operation the bottom collapses inwardly, that is into the container body. At the same time ends 10, 11, including their flaps, also fold inwardly, and the container is now in its collapsed, at state. When, on the other hand, the container is to be collapsed outwardly, as shown in Fig. 7, pressure is exerted against center score 23 of the bottom from within the container so that the bottom is forced in outward direction as it collapses. The collapse of the bottom again causes the ends and their aps to fold inwardly along score lines 21, 22. When the container is collapsed in the latter manner, it attens out even more than when collapsed as shown in Fig. 6. In either of its flattened positions, however, the container requires far less space for shipping or storing than heretofore known collapsible cartons, as can be readily judged by mentally comparing Figs. 6 and 7 with such collapsed cartons.

When it is now desired to render the carton ready for the reception of merchandise, the operation is very simple. When the carton is collapsed in the manner shown in Fig. 6, the only requirement is to apply pressure against the interior edge of the upwardly extending bottom, that is against score line 28, whereupon the bottom will straighten out. At the same time the two ends 10 and 11 are caused to assume their flattened position shown in L Fig. 5.

A similar procedure is followed when the carton is collapsed outwardly as shown in Fig. 7 by simply applying pressure against the outwardly projecting bottom edge along score line 28, whereby the bottom is caused to move inwardly, thereby straightening folded ends 10, 11 of the container body.

While in Fig. 5 the bottom is shown connected with the lower edge of the container body by means of staples 35, it is obvious that the union between the two parts may be effected in any other suitable or practical manner, such as by stitching, gluing or by the use of adhesive tape, similar to tape 19 employed in connecting end edges 18 and 19 of the container body. By the same token, while only a single embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, it is quite obvious that the latter is in no way intended to be restricted to the specitic construction shown in that, due to different requirements by the various trades using packing cartons, changes and modifications may become necessary, such changes and modifications being deemed to reside within the broad scope of this disclosure as detined in the annexed claims.

What is claimed as new is:

A twoway collapsible container structure comprising in combination, a one-piece, continuous body member and a one-piece bottom member having peripheral attaching ilanges, said body member being composed of side and end elements, and wherein each of the elements comprises a lower, fixed and a movable upper portion, and wherein all lower, xed element portions are continuous whereas all upper element portions are separated from one another and form independently movable closing aps, vertical score lines deiining the side and end areas of the xed, lower element portions, and vertical cut-outs or slots aligned with said vertical score lines dening the areas of the upper movable element portions, the end edge of one lower end portion being fixedly secured to the end edge of the corresponding lower side portion so that the fixed element portions form an endless structure, vertical score lines extending centrally from the lowermost edges of the fixed end element portions to the top edges of the movable end element portions to facilitate folding ot' bot-h end elements toward each other or inwardly; said one-piece bottom member being secured by way of its flanges to the lowermost edges of said fixed side and end element portions, a score extending along the longitudinal center axis of said bottom member so that the ends of that score meet the lowermost ends of the vertical central score lines provided in the end elements, and two converging diagonal scores at each end of the bottom member, said diagonalv scores extending from the corners of the latter toward the longitudinal center score thereof and are disposed symmetrically in respect to that center score, the combined scores in the bottom memberfacilitating the collapsing of that member either into the body member or exteriorly thereto, when the said end elements of the body member are collapsed inwardly; said movable upper element portions or aps of the body member serving, when folded toward each other, as closure for the container, provided that the latter is in its open position, that is when the bottom member assumes a flat position in a plane substantially perpendicular to the xed end and side element portions of the body member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 284,179 Buckingham Sept. 4, 1883 448,813 Bowman Mar. 24, 1891 785,102 Hougland Mar. 21, 1905 1,156,250 Scott Oct. 12, 1915 FOREIGN PATENTS 223,400 Great Britain Oct. 23, 1924 

